A 71-year-old man was arrested recently after Michigan State Police responded to reports of a vehicle heading into oncoming traffic on Interstate 75 between Frankenlust Township and Kawkawlin Township, approximately 90 miles northwest of Detroit.

After receiving calls reporting the wrong-way driver, troopers located the vehicle in Kawkawlin Township just south of Beaver Road on I-75. The elderly man was heading north in southbound lanes, and had driven 13.1 miles on the interstate before being apprehended. Luckily, no accident or injuries were reported.

The man, who was not named in news reports, is an Alger resident. He was reportedly traveling from Saginaw to Alger when the incident occurred. Upon his arrest police took the man to the Bay County Jail where he spent the night, and was expected to face a charge of reckless driving on Tuesday, November 13.

Troopers also reported that drivers in the southbound lanes had to drive cautiously, flashing their headlights repeatedly in order to avoid a collision with the man’s vehicle. No drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident according to troopers, who also said a medical emergency was not a factor.

Penalties for a conviction on charges of reckless driving include a fine of up to $500, up to 93 days in jail and points on the individual’s driving record. Penalties for repeat offenders or those who have been charged with an additional offense may be even more severe. However, Michigan driver’s license restoration attorneys know that often, the harshest penalty is a hard suspension of the individual’s driver’s license for 90 days. Not being able to drive to work, to doctor appointments, to shuttle the kids or for any reason is a great hardship on most people.